Disney Bluray

[BrizMarc]

hey guys. How many people here are going to start buying the bluray versions of disney movies? I dont have a player yet but now the bluray/hddvd war is over im keen to start buying them.

Will u people be rebuying their disney dvds as they come out or just buying the ones that are new?

[sandie]

Ha ha ha ha

I am still replacing my videos with DVD's!!!!!

Sandie

[mushu mama]

Like Sandie, I'm still replacing my video's with DVD's but I'm getting pretty close now.

~ Lisa ~

[ajp]

We're not even close to having our Videos replaced to DVD yet. So much so thet we're starting to miss releases along the way.

[KeithS]

I'm looking at going Bluray this year now. I guess I'll probably start with Enchanted in May. I'm looking to get a player when I return from Japan.

I don't know if I'll replace all my DVDs - I think I'll only get new films or films I have on VHS only - not ones I already own in DVD format.

[BrizMarc]

the whole things a real hassle. I thought i read somewhere that sony reckon bluray should last 20 years. Would be nice.

[sandie]

So will a blue ray player still play dvd's? If not I can not see us bothering to get one until we have no choice. Like most of you we provbably have over 200 dvds and I can not see I will be buying replacements for them all.

Sandie

[ajp]

I don't know for absolute certain, but I do believe that BluRay players play normal DVD (just don't quote me). Otherwise there'd be no point. Only thing is that obviously you don't get the full HD advantage with the normal disks.

[KeithS]

So will a blue ray player still play dvd's?

Yes they do.

Of course, to get any benefit out of buying a Bluray player and discs - you will need to invest in a decent HDTV as well.

[BrizMarc]

Anyone know when Disney will start with proper bluray releases? I notice that 101 dalmations is about to come out on dvd and no bluray version. will we have to wait ages for the disney vault to reopen with bluray versions? LIke the jungle book will go back into the vault. will a bluray version come out sometime soon or will it be years of waiting? Their dvd scedule seems alot more jam packed than the bluray. I dont wanna miss out of movies from the vault just because i want to wait for bluray versions.

I dunno what to do. :S

[ajp]

My thought on those movies on Bluray would be that it may not necessary be a better thing. The movies were not recorded in High Def in the first place, so it may not be that much of an advantage. I could be wrong ... Keith?

[BrizMarc]

ive wondered that myself.

[KeithS]

The movies were not recorded in High Def in the first place, so it may not be that much of an advantage. I could be wrong ... Keith?

Hmmm, good question.

Disney is one of the studios that was behind Bluray from the beginning and they were quite active in getting movies released quickly in the format. They have pushed hard with their latest live action releases, as well as the Pixar films and recent Disney CG films such as Meet the Robinsons and Chicken Little, but up to now they haven't been so vocal about their plans for Classic animated films.

However - they have announced "Sleeping Beauty" Platinum Edition Bluray for October 2008, and it is expected that they will announce Pinocchio Bluray for March 2009 - in line with the Platinum DVD release of that film. These are US dates by the way - but expect our release dates to be similar.

So there is a definite move towards releasing Classics in the new format.

But back to Anthony's question - how will they look?

Well, to start with - were animated films recorded in high-def? Yes they were and no they weren't! They were recorded on 35mm cine film which is an analogue format - it is like comparing LP vinyl records with digital CDs. Many audiophiles out there will tell you they are better than CDs, and they are "hi-fidelity" but they are not digital - analogue doesn't necessarily mean inferior, but they will deteriorate with time and usage.

The same goes for 35mm film - but the difference here is that you can come up with an approximate equivalent of quality - and the general consensus is that a 35mm film frame is equivalent to a 20 megapixel digital camera image - 3,000 to 4,000 pixels per inch (or an effective resolution of 7200 x 4800). This makes 35mm film actually 10x higher than a high-def image produced by Bluray. Of course, a couple of caveats on that, including the type of film used, the film grain qualities, age of the 35mm print etc - as stated, as it is analogue in nature, it deteriorates with age.

Ultimately, yes - you will get a much better hand-drawn animated film image on a Bluray presentation than in DVD - because they will re-master from a 35mm print in at least 1900 x 1080 resolution, giving a much sharper image than DVD's standard 720 x 576 (PAL).

I was fortunate enough to see the High-Def version of Aladdin when it screened recently on Channel 7 in Sydney in 1900 x 1080i - and I can tell you, it looked amazing! I could freeze frame the image and look at the brush strokes of the backgrounds. The level of detail was something to behold - better than what I saw at the cinema because it wasn't blown up and the print was clean - it was that good. A 1080p version (the resolution that Bluray is capable of) will exceed even this broadcast quality.

Now let us remember that Aladdin was digitally remastered for its intended release to Imax a few years ago (they pulled the Imax release after poor attendances of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King) - so it had a digital high def transfer makeover recently, which included the removal of print dust and scratches etc.

It is interesting that the two upcoming Bluray releases - Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty are coming from Disney's "Platinum" release range - these Platinum releases are known to go through a rigorous restoration process - fixing print problems, correcting colour saturation, edge enhancement etc, so I am sure that they will create new high-def transfers from an original print which will far exceed the resolution available in current DVD releases of these films. It is this restoration process which I believe is delaying the Bluray releases of the Classic films - but I would also bet that films that were recently restored (Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Bambi etc) will see their way onto Bluray sooner, rather than later.

So, will I buy them? If I am Bluray equipped by then - then yes, you betcha I will I am confident that we will never see these films looking so good - either now, or in the future.

[BrizMarc]

you sold me haha